Tag Archives: Badwater Basin

Views at Death Valley

11 Thursday Jun 2020

Posted by in Badwater Basin, Dantes View, Death Valley, Death Valley CA, Zabriskie Point

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We traveled to visit several national parks for a fun family road trip a few years ago. My father loves road trips. My parents planned this trip based on a previous trip to several beautiful spots. They had good vacation memories of the sites and wanted to share their experience with the rest of the family.

Visiting Death Valley was wonderful. I’ve never visited a desert previously.

We stayed at Longstreet Inn & Casino in Amargosa Valley, NV, which is 37 miles away from the Death Valley National Park East Entrance. It was a nice place to stay and we ate most of our meals there. I enjoyed the food at the restaurant and the service was excellent.

Going to Dante’s View was a windy experience as because of its elevation at 5,475 ft above see level. It overlooks Badwater Basin which is 282 ft below see level which is the lowest point  in North America. We went in the late afternoon when it was a little cooler.

This view point is a great way to see an overview of the Valley.

In the picture you can see what the terrain looks like. Since the sun was setting, you can see the shadows from the hills.

I love the tumbleweeds. Tumbleweeds have always been a favorite for me. Watching them get blown about is fun.

It reminds me how being free to go where ever the wind blows is a nice experience. Not having a care in the world and feeling free from obligations is something we all would like for a break.

Looking at the dry and huge terrain does remind me of freedom. Seeing the rolling hills in the hot heat is surprisingly refreshing.

In the midst of our sheltering in place and demonstrations for an end of unfair police brutality does make me want a break from our daily stress. It does make me want to roam out into the dry heat of the desert for a short time instead of the stressful heat we have into today’s world.

Photos allow us to escape easily.

Two Different Views of Death Valley National Park, CA

20 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by in Death Valley, Death Valley CA

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These 2 photographs are fascinating views from one location at two different altitudes.  The view from the top looks like it could be from space.  The temperature is also much cooler up at Dante View compared to Badwater Basin.

We first went to walk at the Badwater Basin on the salt flats.  Some tourists cannot resist leaving a message or their names on the salt flats.  This is the lowest elevation in North America.

We then drove up above to Dantes View to look down at Badwater Basin.  I, of course, used my big zoom lens.  If you look at the narrow white path going down to the bottom of the photograph, this is the white path in the 2nd picture where people are walking.  They are both the same picture of the salt flats but from two different altitudes.

In the first photo, the white silhouette looks like a tree with branches spreading out.

We’re glad to visit the different terrains and scenery, since it refreshed our perspective.  It is nice for us to look back at these photographs to remind us what we saw.

Hope you can also appreciate this scenery and the real untouched views.

How low can you go at Badwater Basin?

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Death Valley, Death Valley CA

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If you go to ever go to Death Valley National Park in Death Valley, California, you have to go to the lowest point in North America which is Badwater Basin.  It is an endoheic basin or a closed drainage basin that retains water with no outflow to rivers or oceans.  The water converges into lakes or swamps with an equilibrium through evaporation.  The “Bad” water is a small spring-fed pool next to the road with accumulated salts.  So the water is bad to drink.

Note the path behind the Badwater Basin sign in the photograph – This is a open area to walk and explore this lowest point.  We walked on salt on this trail.  A few visitors wrote their names or messages in the salt.  We were also fortunate that the weather tempature was not over 100 degrees.  We lucked out that the temperature was around 93 degrees, a pleasant temperature for being out in a desert in mid June.

The 2nd photograph is the beginning of the trail before the sign.  Look at the midpoint of the mountain in where there is a rectagular white spot.  This is the sign on the mountain that designates sea level so we could see how low we were below sea level.

The elevation for this lowest point is 282 ft below sea level.  Did we feel any different being at the lowest point in North America?  Not really!  But it is fun to say we had a low point during our vacation and were happy to be there.

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